Shower pipe hanger



Aug@ l@ QG@ F S, ERMES SHOWER PIPE HANGER Filed May 4 1965 2 Shasta-Sheet l United States Patent O 3,266,764 SHWER PEPE HANGER Franklin S. B11-iles, Rolling Hills, Calif., assigner to Franklin S. Briles, Inc., El Segundo, Calif., a corporation of California Filed May 4, 1965, Ser. No. 453,077 Claims. (Cl. 248 213) The present invention relates to bathroom fixtures and accessories, and relates more particularly to a novel shower accessory for hanging up washcloths, shower caps or the like, or for suppor-ting shampoo and hair rinse bottles, soa shower brushes and other objects, and which is adapted to be removably mounted in a convenient position on the shower pipe in a new and stable manner.

It is desirable to have means available in a shower for hanging washclothes, shower caps or the like at a convenient height and a-way from the stream of water coming from the shower head. It is also desirable to have receptacle means mounted in a similar convenient position in the shower for holding shampoo bottles, hair rinse bottles, soap, shower brushes or other objects. However, according to conventional shower construction no such convenient facilities are provided. Usually the only place to hang a washcloth or shower cap is over the h-ot and cold water control handles, but this interferes with manipulation of the handles and places such items in an undesirable position substantially below the shower head where there is likely to be a considerable amount of spray. Similarly, the conventional shower has no provision whatsoever for supporting such objects as shampoo and hair rinse bottles, which now usual-ly have to be set on the floor of the shower, where they are extremely awkward to reach and are usually directly in the shower spray. The only receptacle normally provided in a shower is the soap receptacle which is usual-ly recessed into one wall of the shower, not allowing room for such relatively large objects as shampoo or hair rinse bottles, and frequently being unsatisfactory even for holding soap because of poor positioning thereof.

In view of these and other problems in the art, it is an object of the present invention to provide a shower accessory suitable for hanging washcloths, shower caps or the like, and also suitable for supporting such solid objects as shampoo and hair rinse bottles, soap, shower brushes or other things, the accessory being mounted on the shower pipe and thereby placing the objects supported by the accessory in a particularly convenient position, the objects being at a convenient height and being disposed behind the shower head either entirely or for the most part out of the shower spray.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shower pipe hanger of the character described which is quickly and easily removably mountable on the conventional shower pipe and which when operatively positioned on the shower pipe cooperates with the conventional bend in the shower pipe to provide a generally rigid coupling engagement with the pipe that is secure against any substantial lateral twisting movement o-r longitudinal sliding movement relative to the pipe. i

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel shower pipe h-nager of the character described which is of simple constnuction, is economical to fabricate and is attractive in appearance.

The present invention comprises a sleeve-like body made in several parts that are adapted to lit together so that the body encompasses the shower pipe at the bend in the pipe between the straight part of the shower pipe which projects horizontally from the Wall and the downwardly inclining outer end portion of the pipe to which the shower head is secured. The sleeve-like body of the hanger when assembled has a curved or arcuate passage rice extending therethrough which is complementary in shape to the curved bent portion of the shower pipe, and the sleeve-like tbody of the hanger has sufficient rigidity and is sufliciently tightly secured about the bend in the shower pipe that this curved passage in the body can lit only on the curved, complementary part of the pipe, and it can only fit in the same direction as' the curvature on the curved -bend in the pipe. Thus longitudinal sliding of the sleeve-like body olf of the bend in the pipe is prevented because the straight end part of the pipe to which the shower head is secured will not tit in the curved passage of the body, and lateral twisting cannot occur because there is only one lateral position in which the bent part of the pipe ts the bent passage in the body. Thus, the mounting is secure. Hooks, trays or other supporting devices are integrally mounted on the body of the hanger.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear during the course of the following part of the specification wherein the details of construction and mode of operation of a preferred embodiment are described with reference to the accornpnaying drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is a side elevational view illustrating the present invention operatively positioned on a shower pipe.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2 2 in FIGURE l.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 3 3 in FIGURE 2, .and showing the curved portion of the shower pipe in phantom.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 4 4 in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 3, partly in section and partly in elevation, but illustrating the two sections of the invention separated, with the upper section disposed on the bend of the shower pipe and the lower section in position ready for engagement with the upper section.

FIGURE 6 is -a view similar to FIGURE 5, but illustrating the two sections of the shower pipe hanger partly engaged in the operative position on the shower pipe.

FIGURE 7 is Ia view taken on the line 7 7 in FIG- URE 5, looking upwardly at the upper section of the shower pipe hanger.

FIGURE 8 is a view taken on the line 8 8 of FIG- URE 5, looking downwardly on the lower section of the hanger.

FIGURE 9 is a perspective View illustrating an alternative embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, the shower pipe hanger 10 according to the present invention is illustrated in FIG- URE l in its operative position mounted on a conventional shower pipe 12 which projects outwardly and downwardly from the wall 14 of the shower and has the usual collar 16 about Fits base against the wall, and a shower head 18 mounted on its outer or free end. This conventional shower pipe 12 includes a straight, generally horizontal base portion 20 adjacent to the wail, a straight, downwardly incli-ning outer end portion 22 adjacent to the shower head 18, and an intermediate bent portion 24 comprising an arcuate bend in the pipe which normally extend-s through an arc substantially greater than 30.

The preferred form of shower pipe hanger according to the present invention comprises a plurality of sections, preferably two in number, which are engaged together in circumscribing relationship about the bent portion 24 of the pipe. Thus, the presently preferred form of the invention includes an upper body section 26 which is engaged in generally overlying relationship on the bent portion 24 of the pipe, and also a lower body section 28 which generally underlies the pipe at the bent portion 24 thereof and which is securely engaged to the upper body ysection 26 at opposite sides thereof.

Referring now to the upper body section 26, this section of the body of the hanger includes `a central bight or saddle 30` and integral downwardly and outwardly aring skirt portions 32 at opposite sides of the bight or saddle 30. The skirt portions 32 have proximate their lower edges complementary inwardly directed front and rear lugs 34 and 36, respectively, which are separated by -respective notches 37. The inner or lower `surface of the central bight or saddle 30 is shaped to be generally complementary to the shape of the upper half of the shower pipe at the bent portion 24 thereof; i.e., the inner surface 38 is generally semi-circular in cross-section, and is curved or `arcuate in the longitudinal direction, preferably extending through an arc of about 30 or more.

Referring now to the lower body section 28, which may be referred to as the locking section, this includes a curved bridging member 40 having front ears 42 and rear ears 44 extending laterally outwardly from opposite sides thereof and separated by respective notches 46. The lateral and longitudinal spacing between the ears 42 and 44 is substantially the same as the lateral and longitudinal spacing between the front and rear lugs 34 and 36 of the upper body section, so that when the lower body or locking -section 28 is operatively engaged with the upper body section 26 as best shown in FIGURES 1 to 4 of the drawings, the front ears 42 of the lower body section will register with and overlie the front lugs 34 of the upper body section, and the rear ears 44 of the lower body section will register with and overlie the rear lugs 36 of the upper body section.

The inner or upper surface 48 of the lower body section 28 is complementary to the curvature of the bottom half of the bent portion 24 of the shower pipe, being curved or arcuate both in cross-section and longitudinally. The longitudinal curvature of the surf-ace 48 preferably but not necessarily extends through an arc of about 30.

The manner in which the upper and lower body sections 26 and 28 are interengaged about the pipe is best illustrated in FIGURES 3, and 6. Referring at first to FIGURE 5, the upper body section 26 is first placed over the pipe so that the inner surface 38 of the bight portion 30 is fiush against the complementary curved surface of the bent portion 24 of the pipe. Then, the lower section 28 of the body is moved upwardly as shown in FIGURE 5 so that the rear ears 44 of the lower section pass upwardly through the notches 37 between the front and rear lugs of the upper body section, the front lugs 34 passing through the notches 46 between the front and rear ears. Then, fas best shown in FIGURE 6, the lower body section 28 is pushed rearwardly with respect to the u-pper body section 26 so that the rear ears 44 of the lower body section yare engaged over the respective lugs 36 of the upper body section, and the ears 42 of the lower body section are engaged over the respective lugs 34 of the upper body section.

As best shown in FIGURES 3, 5 and 6, the overlapping, engaging surfaces of the lugs and ears are inclined in the longitudinal direction with respect to the inner surface 38 of the upper body section 26 and the inner surface 48 of the lower body section 28. Thus, the upper surfaces 34a of the front lugs 34 and the upper surfaces 36a of the rear lugs 36 incline upwardly and to the rear relative to a true arc which would be concentric with the longitudinal arc of the inner surface 38 of the upper body section. Similarly, the downwardly facing surfaces 42a on the front ears 42 and 44a on the rear ears 44 incline upwardly and to the rear with respect to -a true arc that would be concentric with the longitudinal are of the inner surface 48 of the lower body section 28. Accordingly, the upper lug surfaces 34a land 36a comprise wedging surfaces or shoulders, and the `downwardly facing complementary ear surfaces 42a and 44a are likewise wedging surfaces or shoulders, so that as the lower body section 28 is pushed rearwardly relative to the upper body section 26 in the engaged position as shown in FIGURE 6, the two body sections are `drawn together in a tight clamping engagement about the bent portion 24 of the pipe as best shown in FIG- URE 3.

In this fully engaged position of the shower pipe hanger 10 about the bent portion 24 of the pipe, the inner surfaces 38 and 48 of the two body sections cooperate to provide a tubular inner surface of the body of the hanger which is complementary to and tightly engaged about the external surface of the bent portion 24 of the pipe. Because of the longitudinal arcuate curvature of this tubular inner surface of the hanger body, the hanger Ibody cannot slide downwardly off of the bent portion of the pipe onto the straight outer end portion 22 of the pipe, as it will not fit. Similarly, the longitudinal arcuate curvature of the tubular inner surface of the hanger body has only one lateral mating position with respect to the bent portion 24 of the pipe, so that the body 26, 28 of the hanger cannot twist laterally with respect to the shower pipe. Thus, the shower pipe hanger 10 is securely fixed both longitudinally and laterally with respect to the pipe, and is capable of supporting substantial loads regardless of whether or not such loads apply considerable twisting force on the body which would tend to rotate it about the pipe.

In the form of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 8, the upper body section 26 has a pair of hooks 50 integrally connected to opposite sides thereof, and the lower body section 28 has a single hook 52 extending downwardly from an integral connection therewith.

FIGURE 9 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the invention wherein a pair of Ireceptacles or trays 58 are supported on the upper body section 26, with the assistance of an integral transverse support web 56. Otherwise, the upper body section 26 is identical to that shown and described in detail with respect to FIGURES 1 to 8. The lower body section 28 in .the embodiment of FIGURE 9 is the same as the lower body section 28 in FIGURES 1 through 8, including the depending hook 52.

While the instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is therefore not to be limited to the details disclosed herein, but is to 'be accorded the full scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. A shower pipe hanger adapted to be mounted on a shower pipe that has a downward bend therein, said hanger comprising a generally tubular body having internal surface means defining a passage therethrough that is generally round in cross-section and is curved in the longitudinal direction, said passage being designed to have substantially the same diameter and longitudinal curvature as the bend in a shower pipe, said body comprising a plurality of sections each of which is adapted to encompass part of the circumference of a shower pipe, said sections having locking means thereon for interengagement of the sections, said hanger being mountable on a shower pipe by interengagement thereof in generally circumscribing relationship about a shower pipe in the region of the bend with the longitudinal curvature of said passage through the body of the hanger and the bend in a shower pipe similarly oriented so las to Secure the hanger against both longitudinal and lateral shifting movement relative to a showe-r pipe.

2. A shower pipe hanger as defined in claim 1 wherein said locking means comprises opposed, engaging shoulder means on the sections which are inclined relative to the longitudinal curvature of said internal surface means, said opposed shoulder means being longitudinally slideably engageable for tight wedging engagement of the sections of the body against a shower pipe.

3. A shower pipe hanger as defined in claim 1 wherein there are tWo Of said body sections, an upper body section engageable in overlying krelationship over the bend in a shower pipe .and a lower body section engageable in underlying relationship under the bend in a pipe, said locking means for interengagement of the sections being disposed at the sides of the sections.

4. A shower pipe hanger as deiined in claim 3, wherein the locking means comprises laterally outwardly extending members on one section and laterally Ainwardly extending members on the other section, these members having overlapping shoulder surfaces therein.

5. A shower pipe hanger as defined in claim 4 wherein said laterally outwardly extending members are on said lower section, and said laterally inwardly extending members are on the upper section.

6. A shower pipe hanger as dened in claim 4 wherein said overlapping shoulder surfaces are inclined relative to .the longitudinal curvature of said internal surface means, said overlapping shoulder surfaces being longitudinally slideably engageable for tight wedging engagement of the sections of the body against a shower pipe.

7. A shower pipe hanger as defined in claim 3 which includes hook means extending from at least one of said body sections.

8. A shower pipe hanger as defined in claim 3 which includes receptacle means extending from at least one side of said body sections.

9. A shower pipe hanger as dened in claim 3 which includes a pair of receptacles, one extending outwardly from each side of said upper section.

10. A shower pipe hanger as defined in claim 9 which includes hook means extending downwardly from said lower section.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SHOWER PIPE HANGER ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ON A SHOWER PIPE THAT HAS A DOWNWARD BEND THEREIN, SAID HANGER COMPRISING A GENERALLY TUBULAR BODY HAVING INTERNAL SURFACE MEANS DEFINING A PASSAGE THERETHROUGH THAT IS GENERALLY ROUND IN CROSS-SECTION AND IS CURVED IN THE LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION, SAID PASSAGE BEING ADAPTED TO HAVE SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME DIAMETER AND LONGITUDINAL CURVATURE AS THE BEND IN A SHOWER PIPE, SAID BODY COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SECTIONS EACH OF WHICH IS ADAPTED TO ENCOMPASS PART OF THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF A SHOWER PIPE, SAID SECTIONS HAVING LOCKING MEANS THEREON FOR INTERENGAGEMENT OF THE SECTIONS, SAID HANGER BEING MOUNTABLE ON A SHOWER PIPE BY INTERENGAGEMENT THEREOF IN GENERALLY CIRCUMSCRIBING RELATIONSHIP ABOUT A SHOWER PIPE IN THE REGION OF THE BED WITH THE LONGITUDINAL CURVATURE OF SAID PASSAGE THROUGH THE BODY OF THE HANGER AND THE BEND IN A SHOWER PIPE SIMILARLY ORIENTED SO AS TO SECURE THE HANGER AGAINST BOTH LONGITUDINAL AND LATERAL SHIFTING MOVEMENT REALTIVE TO A SHOWER PIPE. 